The Meridional. (Abbeville, La.) 1856-1906, 1887-09-17
Grand Jury Report,

twenty -nltn JUDICIAL DlSLricJ court
of the State of Louisiana, in the
Parish of Vermilion.
We, the Grand July, empanelled
and sworn to serve at this the Sep,
tember term of 1887, of your honor
able court, holding session in and
for the Parish of Vermilion, with
much respect present this our fina!
| report:
We have examined the parish Jail
and conversed with the parties in.
carcerated therein, out of the pres.
ence of the .iaiier and sheriff. We
found the Jail kept neat and clean
and the prisoners we'll satisfied With
the food and trea tment.
As to the Clerks Office we do not
deem it necessary to do more than
refer your Honor to the report of
our predecessor; we can say no more
than they have said as to neatness
and proper execution Of the duties
devolving upon that officer.
We arc bound to say that the
duties and acrvices required Of the
Sheriff and his deputies are per-
formed in a very loose and negligent
| manner. The Sheriff seems to think
that there is no responsibility at
tached to his Office. We do not
blame his deputies, but we think
that the Sheriff deserves censure at
our hands. as our counselor, the
District Attorney, was obliged to
look up deputies and partly do their
work.
While We think that our criminal
docket, in it's smal|ness, both as TO
number Of cases and the quality Of
same has no equal in the State, we
must in daty bound deplore the
habit of our justices Of the peace in
sending to the Grand Jury so many
trashy, trifling and frivolous cases.
There should be some way to put
stop to these things which are an
expense to the parish, and an annoy
ing nuisance both to the public aud
private individuals. That your
Honor may he convinced we will
say that your records will show that
we have examined forty-seven cases,
in all that were presented to us, and
after thorough examination of the
cases We could not, in justice, present
more than thirteen cases, leaving a
balance Of thirty-fonr cases unpre.
sented, which. for various reasons,
we deemed improper to put before
the court. We think that justices
should be careful and seek informa.
ton from the District Attorney
sometimes before making useless ex
pense to the parish. From our oen-
versation with the District Attorney
we feel sure he will willingly advise
them as to their duties.
While we do not wish to flatter,
we feel it our duty to say that in the
performance Of the duties imposed
upon us. we have been very mate
rally aided by the District Attorney
who, having made himself acquainted
with all the facts in each case pre-
scnted to US, could and did inform
us OF all the particulars of each
case as he presented it to us, and
having several days before court
opened caused subpnnas to be issued
for witnesses to appear before us.
we did not have to delay or wait
for witnesses. thereby enabling Us
to work more rapidly and more
elfectualIy. Therefore we think our
thanks are due him, and we readily
thank him in our own name, as in.
dividuals ard as Grand Jury. for
services to US, which we're cheerfully
given.
J. A. LABBE, Foreman.
Abbeville, Sept. 9, 1887.
Artificial clouds were recently
made for the protection Of vines
from, frost at Pagny on the Franco.
German frontier. Liquid tar was
ignited in tin boxes and pieces of
solid tar On the ground near the
vines. Large clouds Of smoke arose
and protected the vines for two
hours. Althoueh b vines in the neigh
horhood were injured by the frost,
all that remained under the clouds
were left uninjored. OF course this
contrivanca can ancceed onIv in calm